Co Donegal man ‘too drunk’ to remember attack on barwoman

A man who violently assaulted a barwoman left her in fear again after calling to her home to apologise for the attack, a court in Co Donegal has heard.

Tony Duggan (25), attacked the woman at Teach Bhillie in Gortahork on the afternoon of December 15th, 2019.

Duggan appeared at Falcarragh District Court where he pleaded guilty to the assault, which is his solicitor said he was too drunk to remember.

The court was told construction worker Duggan began to abuse other customers after entering the bar at 12.30pm and downing four shots of whiskey.

He was asked to leave the premises by the barwoman and he left. However, she later came across the accused in the back porch of the bar.

Duggan, of Meenlaragh, Gortahork, attacked the bar worker, punching her in the face. The woman received injuries to her right eye and knee.

Two people in the bar then restrained Duggan until his father arrived.

Duggna’s solicitor Patsy Gallagher said his client remembered nothing of the attack because he was so drunk.“There was no excuse for his behaviour. He accepted that he did it, he is so embarrassed and sorry.”

The court was told that Duggan later went to the woman’s house to apologise but this made her even more frightened as she did not realise he knew where she lived.

However, Judge Paul Kelly accepted there was no malice in Duggan's visit to the woman's home.

He sentenced Duggan to three months in prison but suspended the sentence for 12 months. He also ordered him to pay €2,000 in compensation to his victim.